Stormy Nights
by Scarlette O'Hara
Summary: Why is it storming when someone's getting the snot beat out of them?This is my first fanfic so plese review. Thank you!


~Stormy Nights~  
  
I do not own any of the Law & Orders.  
  
"Why is it when someone is getting the snot beat out of them in the movies, its always dark and stormy?" Casey asked into thin air while she continued to watch her "supposed to be" scary movie.  
"Because," Jake, her fiancée of about four years answered from their kitchen' "if it weren't dark, the part wouldn't be so exciting and-"  
"Don't you mean 'cheesy'?" she yelled back, "If they made the fighting scenes in the day time or when it wasn't raining, it would be much more believable. Jake, do we have to watch this? You know I'm not really into the whole scary crap"  
"Please, Case. You'll like it; I promise. I've seen this and it is really great. Besides, it's not like you had a choice, is it?"  
ADA Casey Novak was happy, but in denial. Her fiancé was a good guy on the outside. Jake had pushed her around every once in a while, but she always hid the bruises well. No one at her old office ever noticed. She liked it that way.  
Now that she was in SVU, she had a new life and enough excuses to cover at least a year. Casey was scared of Jake; you could even say terrified.  
~~~SVU 8:36 AM Tuesday, December 16,2003~~~  
  
"Novak! Hey, um I need some advice on this case," Detective Stabler shouted across the room at the office.  
"Yes, Det. Stabler." "There is this case with-hey, what happened to your neck?" "What? Oh, I uh, fell into the doorframe at home. Anyway, what did you need help with?" "Oh, yeah. There is a case where the perp is cutting a rather small lock of hair from his victims' head. We have a suspect in mind but not enough evidence to get a warrant; do you think you could help us out?" Stabler asked in a small voice.  
  
Casey gave him a sarcastic look and simply stated "No"  
  
She explained that she was going to do her job, nothing more.  
After she walked away, Elliot leaned over his desk towards Olivia and whispered "Novak has a very big bruise on her collar bone. She says that she fell into the door but I don't believe a word of it.well I believe she had contact with the door but didn't fall."  
Olivia just sat there with her eyebrow cocked. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"  
"Check her out. See if she's got a boyfriend or something."  
  
~Novak Residence 8:57 PM Tuesday, December 16,2003~  
  
"Jake, please!" Casey yelled between gasps of air and sobs.  
He stood over her with his fists balled murmuring something about Casey cheating on him.  
"I didn't.please, just leave me alone, please"  
"If you weren't such a slut.maybe I would go lighter on you." He kicked her again. By now, her face was red and bruised and her bare legs from her high cut shorts were bleeding and purple. Finally, he walked out in a storm.into a storm. He made his point on why there were stormy scenes in movies.  
He left her there cold and beaten. She couldn't go to work tomorrow. This is the worst it has ever been and Casey Novak was afraid that it wasn't going to get better.  
In the middle of the night, when he was back in her bed, the phone rang. Her eyes shot open as if a gun was fired. When she went to answer the phone, Jake knocked out of her hand with a loud " what're you doing". She backed down and a tear ran down her cheek stinging every wound on the way down. "What" he said into the phone.  
  
"I know this is late, but is Casey Novak there?" it was Olivia.  
"Who is this? Whatever.here" Jake shoved the phone into Casey's face and she took it.  
"Hello? Oh hi, Olivia. Sure I'll go, but why are you waiting until now? Alright then, bye" Casey just processed what she had agreed to. She was going to lunch with Olivia.but she wasn't planning to go to work.  
"And where do you think you're going?" Jake asked her.  
"To lunch with Olivia. Is that okay?" she replied in a smart tone.  
"Are you trying to be smart with me?"  
"No, I just asked."  
"Well don't get smart!"  
She left the room to the bathroom and cried. She had been in this mess for four years and was just now starting to realize she needed out. ~~Magino's Restaurant 12:42 PM~~  
  
"So tell me again what happened to your.you," Olivia said quietly to Casey while they were at lunch.  
"I was uh, in a car accident," she said skittishly.  
"Right" Olivia said long. She noticed that the bruises were blows not just bruises. Someone hit her. She couldn't have been in a car accident like she said because her car was whole. ~~~Benson Residence 8:32PM ~~~  
"I'm telling you, Elliot; she's lying. Someone hit her and I think it was her boyfriend or something because she sure wasn't in a wreck " Olivia told Elliot as she paced her living room.  
"Told you. From what you're telling me, she needs help and fast," he replied in a heroic tone. Olivia just rolled her eyes at him. ~~~~~Later That Night.~~~~~  
  
"So do you have a boyfriend?" "Yeah, well, I'm engaged to him. We've been together for about four years now." "Oh, I see. So are you happy?" "Of course.well, he can be a little demanding, but what do you expect from men?" "I totally understand. Woman to woman.I know that I have had my share of awkward and you could say abusive relationships; what about you?" "Actually, Jake has slapped me around a couple of times but it's only gotten out of hand once or twice. Why?" "I just wanted to know I wasn't the only one." "Oh"  
Olivia and Casey's phone conversation went on until Olivia finally got something out of Casey. When she did, someone on the other line was yelling and Casey excused herself immediately.  
Olivia sighed and felt guilty about not calling the police. She decided that if it happened again on her watch, then she would call the cops. Besides, she didn't even know what she heard.  
During their conversation, Casey confessed that it wasn't a car accident that hurt her.it was Jake. Olivia said that Casey could call her anytime and stay with her if she needed.  
The reason Casey was hurried off the phone was that Jake was home early. He gave her an earful when she got off. Jake was a sort of blacksmith. He made knives and other tools and weapons. That's why Casey "hooked up" with him: he made her feel safe. Little did she know that he would make her feel quite the opposite.  
"Who was that?" he screamed. Jake had been drinking.a lot.  
"It was no one. Just a friend from work," she said back with the last shred of confidence she had.  
"Where do you get off telling people that I hurt you?"  
"Because you do, Jake. You hurt me all of the time. Where do you think I get all of these bruises and cuts?"  
"You want me to show you hurt? You don't know hurt, Casey. Maybe if you didn't cheat on me all of the time I wouldn't hurt you."  
"I don't cheat on you. If you think that I am unfaithful, then why don't you leave me?"  
Right then, he hit her in the face so hard it knocked her completely down to the floor. He leaned over her barely conscious body and whispered, " 'Cause I own you."  
Casey Novak didn't go to work the next morning. She lay in bed crying and on the floor being beaten. There were times in the day when she wanted more than anything in the world was to die.  
Olivia couldn't concentrate for even a second at work she was so worried about Casey. She finally convinced Elliot to go with her to Casey's house. When they got there, they both heard a glass shatter. Olivia took off almost in a sprint with Elliot not two seconds behind. Elliot almost ran into Olivia who almost ran into the front door. She must have ringed the doorbell thirty times before someone answered. It was Jake who answered.  
"Who are you?" Jake asked right after opening the door.  
"We're the police. Is Casey Novak here?" Elliot interrupted.  
"She's not here."  
"Then why is she right there in the hall?" Olivia pointed out a skinny, pale figure with blood all over her. There was barely a place on the white carpet without blood on it. If it were all hers, she should have been dead. Maybe she fought back. From the few scratches on Jake's arms and bare shoulders, she must have.  
Olivia was just about ready to walk right in the door when Jake's arm bolted across the way. "You can't come in here without a warrant. I know the law enough.you see, I'm engaged to an ADA."  
"We can come in here if we see an act of violence.in act," Elliot pretended.  
Jake lowered his arm and Olivia rushed in to Casey's rescue. When Olivia went to lift her because she was so limp she couldn't walk, she felt as light as a feather. It made Olivia wonder if she was just petite or hadn't eaten in weeks.  
With Casey in his arms, Elliot walked out of the house with the last words "We'll be back for you."  
At the hospital, Casey was treated for major lacerations, four broken ribs, and a sprained wrist. The doctors kept her over night for observation and to confirm that there was no internal bleeding. Olivia and Elliot were allowed to stay with her.  
"I'm sorry, guys," Casey apologized, " I should have told you guys. Thanks for being there for me."  
"Hey, Case, no problem. I mean, you needed help," Elliot said back.  
"Yeah, Casey.just promise me that you'll do something about Jake" Olivia followed up.  
"When I get home, I'll file a restraining order and stuff like that. Don't worry, I'll be fine," Casey spoke in between sighs.  
Casey was discharged the next day. She took a few days off to gather herself and heal the best that she could. On Wednesday of that week, Casey went back to Jake and her house. Things went rather badly.  
"You had the cops come after me? What is that?" Jake yelled at her.  
"Jake, you can't honestly think that you were going to get away with assault and battery did you? Of course I talked about you but I never called the police," she answered quietly.  
Jake had his hand pulled back like he was going to hit Casey when she yelled;" I'll call Olivia".  
He quickly put his arm down and stepped away. Casey told Jake that their relationship was over and she was filing a restraining order. He was angry but he suppressed it. Casey gave her ring back and walked out. She didn't cry. She was too relieved to cry. All the pain for four years was ended and she was set free.  
Olivia later arrested Jake Neilson for assault of the ADA and he was sentenced to eighteen months in prison. Casey's body healed and she was at rest and in much better attitude.  
  
~~~~~~The End~~~~~~ 


End file.
